Wednesday, 25 August 2010

Trial run of modified 'Wooden Ships' rules. Matt's trying to get them to play quicker so he can scale things up to Trafalgar size for next years St George's\May Day game. A modified version of the post Trafalgar Battle of San Domingo with some newly painted proxy ships.

Should of been a one sided affair, since the French were out numbered 7 to 5, and although not out-gunned, there was a marked difference in crew and leadership quality. In general the Royal Navy should have most of the initiative, giving it an advantage in moving.

The mission for the Royal Navy was to destroy the French. The mission for the French was simply to escape.

Decided to take the big ship head on, with my own lead ship loaded with double shot, and so was having to hold fire till close range, as the French started pounded the masts.

Finally managed to cross the line with my second ship, and got a stern rake in on the which was now looking worse for wear.

With the second British Division becoming isolated from the action this gave the French a numerical superiority against the four British lead ships.

Things soon started getting tangled up as the French closed and engaged in two desperate boarding actions. Both, at least initially, being fairly even as the British held some crew back to man the guns.

At this point the game ended, with numerous French hulls looking waterlogged. Another broadside at the would probably see it go down.¶